- Today in Cars
- Posts
- Prelude Suprise, C63 Axed, SUVOTY
Prelude Suprise, C63 Axed, SUVOTY
PLUS: RS6 Sedan Spied, $120k Ford techs, Toyota Hybrids
In partnership with
Trusted by millions. Actually enjoyed by them too.
Morning Brew makes business news something you’ll actually look forward to — which is why over 4 million people read it every day.
Sure, the Brew’s take on the news is witty and sharp. But the games? Addictive. You might come for the crosswords and quizzes, but you’ll leave knowing the stories shaping your career and life.
Try Morning Brew’s newsletter for free — and join millions who keep up with the news because they want to, not because they have to.
2025-11-19
🚙
Releases & Reviews
Jeep’s second US EV channels Wrangler vibes with removable doors, serious off-road hardware, and dual motors delivering 650 horsepower (485 kW) and 620 lb-ft (841 Nm) to all four wheels. An estimated 250-mile (402 km) range and $66,995 starting price target adventure-ready early adopters.
Honda revives the Prelude as a single-trim hybrid coupe using the Civic Hybrid’s powertrain, trading a bit of efficiency for style at 44 mpg combined (5 L/100km). Standard adaptive dampers, Brembo brakes, leather trim, and Bose audio help justify the $43,195 price tag.
📈
Technology, Market Data & Analysis
Cadillac’s all-electric Escalade IQ couples dual-motor thrust with four-wheel steering and air suspension to make a 4.5-ton (4,077 kg) SUV feel unexpectedly agile and refined. Judges praise its serene cabin, strong brakes, and effortless acceleration in awarding it 2026 SUV of the Year honors.
Mercedes is reportedly axing its four-cylinder, plug-in hybrid C63 and several related AMG models by 2026 after lukewarm reception. An internal memo suggests the brand will pivot back toward more characterful performance offerings, acknowledging that this technically impressive but unloved variant missed the emotional mark.
🛞
Car Culture
Top Gear straps into the Mercedes-AMG One and Aston Martin Valkyrie on one of Britain’s fastest circuits to explore their F1-for-the-road promises. The feature dives into brutal noise, uncompromising aerodynamics, and how each hypercar balances lap-time obsession with the bare minimum of road-going civility.
In this 36 minute watch from Jay Leno’s Garage, a 1934 Cadillac V-16 with a $15,000 exhaust manifold showcases pre-war American excess and engineering ambition. Leno unpacks its intricate drivetrain, coachbuilt luxury, and why maintaining such a 16-cylinder relic is both eye-wateringly expensive and deeply rewarding.
🔧
Miscellaneous
Honda is recalling 256,603 2023–2025 Accord Hybrids to fix integrated control module software that can abruptly cut power to the wheels. Dealers will install an updated program free of charge, addressing a safety concern for thousands of owners without requiring any hardware replacement.
As rental chain Escape Camper Vans shuts down, it’s liquidating its fleet and parts inventory in an online blowout, creating unusual bargains for would-be vanlifers. The sale includes ready-to-camp rigs and components for DIY builds, though buyers must weigh age, mileage, and potential upfitting work.
🏁
Quick Links
Jim Farley says Ford dealers have 5,000 unfilled technician roles, even with pay up to $120,000 and constant recall work, warning the shortage threatens repair times, customer satisfaction, and warranty costs.
Fresh camouflaged prototypes confirm Audi will revive the RS6 sedan alongside the next RS6 Avant, hinting at multiple powertrains including an all electric variant to complement the familiar V8 bruiser.
Cody "WhistlinDiesel" Detwiler faces Tennessee tax evasion charges over a Ferrari F8 Tributo registered to a Montana LLC, spotlighting states’ crackdown on the popular supercar tax-avoidance loophole and his astonishing $2 million bond.
Honda’s refreshed 2026 Pilot gets tougher styling, a new 12.3 inch central touchscreen and 10.2 inch digital cluster, plus extra sound deadening, improved steering feel, richer materials, and more safety tech aimed at family buyers.
Audi is reportedly developing a large luxury off roader on Scout’s South Carolina built platform, pairing an electric drivetrain with a range-extender engine to challenge rugged upmarket rivals like the Land Rover Defender in the US.
Tesla is reportedly exploring native Apple CarPlay support to attract and retain buyers, even as GM removes smartphone mirroring from upcoming models, signaling a strategic reversal for Elon Musk’s software focused EV brand.
Toyota will pour $912 million into five US plants to boost hybrid components and Corolla Hybrid output, creating 252 jobs as part of a broader $10 billion American investment push through 2029.
On the eve of its livestream debut, Porsche confirms the Cayenne Electric will ride on the PPE platform and exceed 1,000 horsepower (746+ kW) in Turbo form, becoming the brand’s most powerful production model.
Aston’s Valkyrie packs a screaming 6.5 litre V12 mounted exceptionally low, uses its electric motor for reversing instead of a gearbox cog, and currently holds the Top Gear test track production car lap record.
On savagegeese, this 13 minute watch reflects on how today’s "endgame" cars prioritize usability, efficiency, and tech over raw drama, arguing that modern performance flagships feel less special than analog heroes of previous decades.
Reply